The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1887-10-14
CHE 1emOcraf-SfH
Negro Superstition.

p~OasessOr, aud 10 donbt If the many
eolored grave-yards IN that section
were made to give up their deaG
the skeletons OF not a few would u.
found to he minns their right hand
The Southern blacks also beIiev.
that the big tOe of a deceased friend
carried on the person, will keeI
away disease, and that the toes o
an enemy nj he used az charms Z,
conjure their enemies. Thus it i
they originated the lines:
Wild dis honey to-,
I'll bring dem woe,
Fore daylight In de u%sosnin'.
VOudou doctors and there are
plenty Of them in the Southern
States-carry on an extensive traf.
&c in human bones aud other por.
tons OF the body. They nse the
skull to perform 3 mystic ceremony
for the sick, or tn bring luck TO =
poverty stricken family; the ears
are employed in another ceremony
the outcome of which is To 6nd ont
what your enemies are saving about
you, and the other bones all have a
mission to perform while the Vou.
doa il humbuggIng his victim.
The voudon doctor is usually a
naturally smart darkey with a good
flow of conversation and ~ much
inventive genius as a Bowery conf
dence man. In Washington of late
the youdous have become rather
scarce, as the police arrest them as
Migrants whenever they pat in an
appearance.
The country negroes in South
Carolina, Georgia aud portions of
Florida have "A very pretty and
poetical superstition. During the
stiffness of the night, when the gen.
tie swaying pine trees are singing
their weird requiems, whole fami.
lies will sit about the cabin doors
and listen i~ntenfly to the music of
the forest. In its changing melody
they hear the voices OF dead friends
predicting good or evil for the fn-
tnre or revealing secrets of the
tomb.
No reward could induce the negro
surtmen OIL the North Carolina
coast TO walk along the beach M
night, especially during a sioi m,
when the lightning is flashing and
the huge white capped breakers
come sputtering in on the sandy
beach. They imagine they can see
in the phosphOfescent lights tue
forms of sailors who were lost al sea
riding in astride of the huge pillows.
Gu account of this Superstition ii
has been fouud impossible to induce |
negro e~oastheu to enter The life.
saving service, no matter ho~ we'll
adapted they may Ue for The work.
The tedious night patrol along The
desOlate seishOTe is what they 0b.
ject 10. The average seaslore ne
gro would almost rather die than TO
encounter the vague form OF a de-.
parted sailor InAu in the surt OF gu
the beach.
There are many minor superSiI.
tiOns among the cOiured people. 1
a COW stops in trout of i house and
bellows it is a sure sign that some
one on the premises will die. If the
COW bellows twice the party mark
ed for dissolution will die ia TWO
days, Two wrecks or Two mouths.
Should the animal below i've times,
uhis.b il a rara ns.aurrau.D "A Ia,fI J
will occur in less than Que week.
When a cock enters the bOuSc aud
crows therein, it means the family
will have visitors. To CfO jusi
outside the door indicates that TIA,
residents OF the house Will lie sud.
denly called away on d mission.
Sometimes an Overfed hen will
make a sound which resembles the
faint growing OF a Young rooster.
This is regarded as IN evil omen,
aud the lucklrss hen is always de-
capitated when lis owner Is At all
supersiifiOus. Scientists say the
sound is caused 10y Indigestion. The
darkleS have Il verse they repeat in
NAiN SOhhNANiOhs ~ - Allo
A whistlIng woman
Aud growing hen
Will never come
To any good end.
The owl usually boots three times.
When this uncanny bird forgrts il.
self aud increases the Number of
boots to four OF five the plantation
negroes regard it as an omeu of
sickness, starvation or death. To
Kill a cat means seven years of bad
luck TO the person that did the kill.
ing. To catch a watpr-smake Or
your fishing line is a sure sign thar
your enemies are Try iag To rntrap
aud Kill you. Thus tue srgrurs
say
Catch a snake,
Let him 20,
For death is a comm
ShO and sho.
To e a flock Ut crows lowering
about yolr house is a very bad Sign,
aud to drop your bible while going
TO church indicates thai the devil